The Balloon Boy of San Francisco

Rating:
Summary: The Balloon Boy of San Francisco .......... Molly's Reviews.
Review: Entertaining Read ........ Recommended 4 stars

The Review

The discovery of gold served to prompt San Francisco into becoming a thriving city overflowing with activity and people in addition to the city serving as an important hub with numerous ties to the rest of the nation. Set five years after the discovery of gold The Balloon Boy of San Francisco depicts a vivid peek into every day life in this busy, exhilarative city on the bay. Writer Leland has done her research well to provide details necessary to bring to life the colorful gold rush era in this appealing narrative telling of red haired Ready, Joseph, Gates and the eye-popping, unexpected journey he made as is recorded in early California and other of the nation's newspapers.

As a native Californian who was myself born in the bay area, I particularly enjoyed this fascinating, well-written tale. The Balloon Boy of San Francisco is an excellent choice for pleasure reading, classroom `California' unit work, the homeschool curriculum as well as home and school libraries.

Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend.

Reviewed by: molly martin
20+ years California classroom teacher




Rating:
Summary: Fascinating California history and a good story too!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm way older than the juvenile target audience. The well-researched historical background, and fictionalization of real events, makes it far more than just a retelling of an old folk tale. Ready and his family are fully-drawn, believable characters with many of the problems today's families face, though we probably aren't hoping to strike it rich in the gold fields. I recommend this book to parents as an excellent read-aloud, especially for boys 8 and up, but I think girls would enjoy it too.

Rating:
Summary: An adventure novel based on a true story
Review: The Balloon Boy Of San Francisco is an adventure novel based on a true story. Set in San Francisco during 1853, it follows the wide-eyed exploits of an enthusiastic young man whose pasttimes include shouting the latest newspaper headlines from a street corner, and tracking down a gold miner who has gone missing. But when he has the opportunity to watch a hot-air balloon ascension, his life takes a exciting new turn. Based upon diaries and historical documents from the gold-rush era, The Balloon Boy Of San Francisco brings the past to vibrant life, recreating history and setting with such detail it's the next best thing to stepping into a time machine. The protagonist's contagious enthusiasm that lifts one's spirits in this upbeat story, intended for young adults but suitable for all ages.


Rating:
Summary: Finally, a book for boys too!
Review: What a fun way to learn about San Francisco during gold rush times! With appeal for both children and adults, Balloon Boy would be a great tool for middle school history teachers. This would also be a great gift for boys who need a little extra motivation to read.